Kelly Ramsdell

Hey there - Kelly here. I thought I'd tell you a bit about myself. Once upon a time, I was a music major in college, with an English minor. After a few years of working in retail and inventory control, I went off to law school and worked as a lawyer while raising my two young daughters. Flash forward to me developing a serious autoimmune condition that prevents me from being a lawyer (or, for that matter, working any "real" job day after day).

After being home for a few months, I stopped watching HGTV non-stop and started writing for children. I've had poems published in several anthologies and in 2012, my first picture book as an author was published. It's called AT THE BOARDWALK, and it was illustrated by the very talented Mónica Armiño. In 2014, as a way to stretch my writing skills, I took my first art course, drawing birds using colored pencils.

One thing and one art course led to another, and I found that I was really into painting and making art. In 2017, I started my art business.

These days I claim my identity as an artist, author, and poet. My visual art includes acrylic, mixed media, and collage works on canvas, paper, wood, and even tambourines! Much of my art is about FREEDOM, and about FINDING PEACE in daily life.

It's about freedom of movement and/or freedom to travel, represented by sailboats and hot air balloons. Freedom of expression, represented by variety in art styles as well as all the words and phrases found in my literary collages, and even in some of my abstracts. Freedom to make noise and be heard in this world (tambourines, anyone?). Freedom to be my whole self, to paint with abandon, to discover new things. Freedom for you to do the same.

ALL of my art is made with what I think of as energy work: high vibes, positive intention, happy tunes, diffused oils, and crystals nearby for love, abundance, and other positive qualities. I also refer to a chakra meditation piece I created to be certain that my pieces are balanced: security, creativity, wisdom & power, love & healing, communication, awareness, and spirit.

I live in southern New Jersey with my wonderful husband Morris, who is the absolute love of my life, and our calico cat, Kismet.